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Health
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Written by Lisa Collins
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Could that dog in the shelter be a Miniature Poodle? Recognizing a
Poodle type dog is a lot more than just looking at what clip their coat
is in. Most Miniature Poodles in shelters or breed rescues are not in
the fancy show clips. But there are still ways to recognize a Miniature
Poodle.
The Humane League of the United States estimates that twenty-five
percent of all abandoned animals are purebreds. So, the odds of that
shelter dog being a purebred Miniature Poodle are pretty high.
Standard Poodles have a minimum height requirement of fifteen inches at
the withers, which most make easily. However, some Miniature Poodles
have had both parents be Toy Poodles, or even both parents are Standard
Poodles. All three recognized Poodle types are basically different
sizes of the same breed of dog. You may see Teacup Poodles advertised,
but they are not recognized as a show worthy Poodle type.
Any Poodle information for Standard Poodles tends to also apply to
Miniature Poodles, only on a smaller scale. Their breed standards are
identical (again, except for size). They should be lean, athletic dogs
under remarkably puffy coats. Their expression should be happy and
lively. Their trot should be lively and bouncy, with their heads and
tails naturally held high. Many show Poodles have their tails half
docked - a practice which is thankfully dying out.
The breed standard is usually based on looking at a Poodle in profile.
In profile, a Miniature Poodle should stand square, have a level
topline (spine) and a profile that looks somewhat chiseled and not
heavily jowled. The preferred eye color for the show ring is a dark
brown, but much lighter eye colors happen often in pet Miniature
Poodles. The ears are floppy, with rounded ends and seem to hug the
head. They may or may not have dewclaws.
The Miniature Poodle comes in many colors, but all of them are to be
solid for show dogs. Even the lips and nose should be the same color.
This is where a lot of Miniature Poodles fall short as show dogs, as
they could have bi-colored lips, or more than one color in their coats.
Some brown Miniature Poodles will go prematurely grey, so a grey-tipped
brown Miniature Poodle may be younger than he looks. Other faults
common to Miniature Poodles include large, protruding eyes, an
overbite, ewe-neck, a too low tail carriage or a downward sloping
topline.
All coats of Poodle types are long and curly and are actually hair and
not fur. Most Miniature Poodles fall short of their breed standard in
many areas, but still can be purebred Miniature Poodles.
They don't seem to care whatever clip they are given. Miniature Poodles
are long lived (some have reached twenty) and is one of the more
healthy breeds of smaller dogs available.
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Lisa Collins |
| About the author: |
| Lisa Collins keeps dogs, loves them to distraction and has a passion for small breeds that led to breeding them. The Poodle is far removed from the hunting dog that he once was who swam in the water to fetch game.
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Dr. Rosenberg is the owner, CEO & Chief of Staff at Veterinary Cancer Group.
Kymythy Schultze has been a trailblazer in animal nutrition for over two decades.
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